10.06.2025
Water demand in the world is expected to increase by 55 percent by 2050. In contrast, freshwater resources are dwindling due to population growth and global warming. What methods are being developed to address this problem?
70 percent of the world is covered in water, and the amount of this water is 1,386,000,000 cubic kilometers. Why is there a water shortage even though this amount remains unchanged?
97.5 percent of this water is saltwater, making it unsuitable for human consumption. Both the world's population and its temperature are increasing, leading to a freshwater shortage.
Could the world's freshwater crisis be solved by desalinating seawater? Experts say this is an expensive method and the carbon footprint left by the energy consumed would be enormous. Oil-rich countries like Kuwait and Dubai are using this method. However, it has both economic and ecological dimensions and damages the marine ecosystem.
A simpler and cheaper method might be rainwater harvesting. This is a rather old method. The Basilica Cistern in Istanbul, built by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian (527-565), stores 80,000 cubic meters of rainwater. 1500 years later, this method is being replicated in many cities. In Manchester, a university uses rainwater as flush water in its toilets.
The ice stupas in Ladakh are artificial glaciers resembling towers, 30-50 meters high. They are used to store water and minimize water scarcity. Ladakh is a very cold desert located on the Tibetan plateau at altitudes of 2700-4000 meters. Winter temperatures can drop to -30 degrees Celsius, and annual rainfall is around 100 mm. This situation leads to insufficient water resources for agricultural activities.
The ingenious idea of Ladakh engineer Sonam Wangchuk is to create these ice stupas, which act like mini glaciers, gradually melting and transforming into irrigation water for agriculture. Between 2000 and 2050, demand for water is expected to increase by 55 percent. 70 percent of freshwater is used in agriculture. To feed the growing population, food production will increase by 69 percent by 2035. Water is also used as a coolant in electricity generation, and this energy is expected to increase by 20 percent. According to research by the American Space and Aeronautics Administration (NASA), freshwater consumption worldwide is faster than the replenishment of these resources. According to NASA water scientist Jay Famiglietti, "Water levels are falling all over the world. Water resources will not last forever."
However, some countries are developing new and effective solutions;
If we want to become water-efficient societies, we need to use such methods. It is crucial to establish a strategy for conserving freshwater as soon as possible.
Source: BBC Future, Earth, Culture, Capital, and Travel, The Guardian (The ice stupas of Ladakh: solving water crisis in the high desert of Himalaya)
